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Bible Theme Park in Middle Tennessee: What’s the Point?

The point determines the cash flow.

In this next installment of the Bible Park USA saga, questions arise regarding the appropriateness of using tax incentives to lure the park to Nashville’s neighboring Wilson County. From the Tennessean: “But as the project nears fruition and Wilson County leaders consider millions in tax incentives to land Bible Park USA, some fear the financing plan amounts to an unconstitutional marriage of religion and government.”

Tennesee’s ACLU chapter is stepping in to help determine whether the park’s goal is to promote and spread Christianity or, as the park’s developers and Lebanon’s mayor, Don Fox, claim, to attempt to recreate a historically accurate rendering of the Holy Land. In the 11/01/08 Tennessean article, both sides weigh in, and Fox admits that spreading the Good Word is more important than getting rich. But he adamantly argues that the park’s main purpose is to show the Holy Land in a historic light.

So what’s the point, Bible Park USA? Looking to save some damned souls or simply tell us, entertainingly of course, about the holiest of places and times in the history of this 2,000 year old planet of ours?

Wilson officials will vote on bringing in economic impact studies later this month, and it seems Blackman, where the park was originally planned, has reentered the picture as a contender for the new Jesus rides. And all this after one of the developers of the park had to file for Chapter 11 re: another of his theme parks. O come all you Christian businessmen, this is getting good.

Follow the jump for some background on biblical theme parking and what Middle Tennesseans have to look forward to!

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David and Cassie: Johnny and June

The Silver Jews show Sunday (10/12/2008) gave Nashville the chance to welcome home its favorite son and to see a hairy ass in the process. Not David Berman’s, mind you, but Levi “Ha Haziz” (Yomtov) Elvis’s, front man to Tel Avivan happy hippie hardcore openers, Monotonix. More on that later.

from the Cordouroy Suit (I forgot my damn camera!)

from the Cordouroy Suit (I forgot my damn camera!)

The Exit/In teemed with the Berman faithful for the final performance on this leg of the tour supporting Strange Victory, Strange Defeat (Drag City, 2008). It was the Joos’ first tour since 2006, and the improvement to the live show was palpable, according to those who saw both. Gone are the days of music stands and nervous mumbling. These were Silver Jews superstars!

Continue reading ‘David and Cassie: Johnny and June’